Refrigerator door



June 13, 1961 w. .1. KUROWSK! REFRIGERATOR DOOR 3 Sheets-S et 1 Filed Jan. 8 1960 WINNER,

INVENTOR- Wafier 1 urwsk/ BY W June 13, 1961 w. J. KUROWSKI 2,987,782

REFRIGERATOR DOOR Filed Jan. 8, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illfllllllll June 13, 1961 w. J. KUROWSK] 2,987,782

REFRIGERATOR DOOR Filed Jan. 8, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

Wa/ferJ. Kur-ows/w BY 65%, ,19 Maw M 6% Zfforrwys United States Patent C 2,987,782 REFRIGERATOR DOOR Walter J. Kurowski, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Aluminum Refrigerator Door Co., Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 1,333 14 Claims. (Cl. 2016) This invention relates to a new and improved door construction which will find many applications, but which is especially advantageous for use in connection with swinging doors for refrigerated display cabinets. Such cabinets are widely used in supermarkets and other retail stores to display frozen foods, dairy products, beverages, and other items which require refrigeration.

One object-of the present invention is to provide a new and improved hinge construction which incorporates a spring arrangement for automatically closing the door after it is released by the customer.

A further object is to provide a hinge construction which is arranged in a new and improved manner so that the door may easily be removed from the door frame.

Another object is to provide a new and improved hinge construction of the foregoing character in which the closing effort of the door closing arrangement may readily be adjusted.

A further object is to provide a new and improved device limiting the swinging movement of the door.

Another object is to provide a new and improved device of the foregoing character, which is also adapted to hold the door open while the cabinet is being filled.

Still another object is to provide a new and improved door construction which is convenient and durable, yet is easy to manufacture and low in cost.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a refrigerated display cabinet having doors constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational View showing a hinge construction employed in the doors of FIG. 1, the view being partly in section along a line 22 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross section, taken generally along a line 33 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, but showing the manner in which the positions of some of the parts are changed when the door is raised for the purpose of removing or replacing the door.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, showing details of the hinge construction at the lower edge of the door.

FIG. 6 is an exploded or disassembled view of the components of the hinge construction as shown in FIGS. 2-4.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section, taken generally along a line 77 in FIG. 8, to illustrate a device for limiting the swinging movement of the door, and for holding the door open when the cabinet is to be loaded.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken generally along a line 8-8 in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a bracket shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the view being partly in section along a line 9-9 in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary horizontal section, taken along a line 10-10 inFIG. 9.

As already indicated, FIG. 1 illustrates a refrigerated display cabinet 10 of a type widely used in supermarkets and other retail stores, to display merchandise which requires refrigeration. The display cabinet 10 is of the upright type, having a plurality of horizontal shelves 12 for supporting the merchandise to be displayed. The front of the display cabinet 10 is closed by a plurality of doors ice 14 which swing outwardly, so that the customer may easily remove merchandise from the cabinet. The illustrated cabinet 10 has four such doors, mounted in a door frame 16. The illustrated doors swing outwardly from the left, and are hinged at the right, but, of course, the doors may be arranged to swing out from either the left or the right.

Thus, the door 14 in FIG. 2 is arranged to swing outwardly from the right. Accordingly, the door 14 of FIG. 2 is hinged at its left-hand edge. Each of the illustrated doors 14 comprises two vertical members 18 and 20 and two horizontal members 22 and 24, arranged in a rectangular frame 26. The door 14 is hinged on the member 20, while the other vertical member 18 is provided with a handle 27 which may be used by the customer to pull the door open. The horizontal members 22 and 24 are at the upper and lower edges of the door 14.

A transparent glass panel 28 is preferably mounted in the rectangular frame 26. It is preferred that the glass panel 28 comprise at least two thicknesses of glass, with a hermetically sealed space therebetween. Glass panels of this type provide a high degree of heat insulation, so as to prevent the condensation of moisture and the formation of frost on the outside of the glass panel. If the refrigerated cabinet is to be maintained at a sufficiently low temperature for the storage of frozen food, it may be desirable to employ as many as four thicknesses of glass in the glass panel 28. Here again, the spaces between the thicknesses of glass should be hermetically sealed and filled with dry air. In this way, the glass panel 28 will remain free from moisture and frost, and completely transparent, so that the customer will have an unobstructed view of the merchandise stored in the cabinet.

As indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the frame members 18, 20, 22 and 24 of the door 14 may be in the form of hollow channel-shaped metal extrusions, made of aluminum or the like. Thus, the member 20 has a front wall 30 and side walls 34 and 36. An integral flange 38 extends laterally as a continuation of the front wall 30, to overlap and retain the glass panel 28. Within the member 20 is a rectangular space 40.

The illustrated door frame 16 is rectangular in shape and is made from two vertical members 42 and 44 and two horizontal members 46 and 48. The members 42 and 44 are at the left and right-hand sides of the frame 16, while the members 46 and 48 are at the upper and lower sides of the frame, as shown in FIG. 1. The members 42, 44, 46 and 48 may be in the form of Z-angles or other shapes made of aluminum or some other suitable metal. Thus, each of the members 42, 44, 46 and 48 has a wall 49 extending from front to rear, a front outwardly turned vertical flange 50, and a rear in-turned flange 51.

In its closed position, the door 14 is received within the door frame 16, flush with the front thereof. The door 14 is adapted to swing outwardly about upper and lower hinge pins 56 and 58. As shown, the lower hinge pin 58 has a threaded lower end 60 which is screwed into an opening 62 in the horizontal flange 49 of the lower frame member 48. The pin 58 has an enlarged intermediate portion 64 of hexagonal or other convenient shape for engagement by a wrench. When the hinge pin 58 is screwed downwardly, the enlarged portion 64 engages against the wall 49 so as to clamp the hinge pin in place.

As shown in FIG. 5, the lower hinge pin 58 extends upwardly into an opening 66 formed in the door 14. In this case, the opening 66 in a bushing or bearing 68 which is inserted into the lower frame member 24. A thrust washer 7G is interposed between the lower end of the bearing 68 and the upper side of the lock nut 64.

It will be seen that the lower hinge pin 58 projects only a short distance upwardly into the opening 66 in the bearing 68. Thus, the door 14 can be disengaged from the lower hinge pin 58, simply by lifting the door a short distance until the bearing 68 is free from the hinge pin.

7 As shown, the upper hinge pin 56 cb mpr ises a shank 72 which is formed at its upper end with an enlarged head 74. Immediately below the head 74, the shank has a substantially cylindrical portion 76 which extends through a hole 78 in the horizontal 'fl'an'ge 49 of the upper door frame member 46. The head 74 is provided with a plurality of downwardly projecting locking teeth 80, adapted to bite into the upper side of the horizontal flange 49 so as to prevent the upper hinge pin 56 rotating.

Below the cylindrical portion 76, the upper hinge pin 56 has a threaded portion 82 adapted to receive a lock nut 84 which may be screwed against the under side of the horizontal flange 49, so as to clamp the head 74' against the upper side of the flange. The nut 84 puns the upper hinge pin 56 downwardly so'that the teeth 80 will bite into the flange or wall 49.

Just below the threaded portion 82, the upper hinge pin 56 is preferably formed with tool receiving elements, which preferably take the form of one or more holes or openings 86 extending diametrically into the hinge pin 56. It will be recognized that a rod may be inserted into the holes for use in turning the hinge pin 56 before the nut 84 has been tightened.

In the illustrated construction, the lower end of the shank 72 takes the form of a downwardly tapering portion 88 which is adapted to be received in a complementary, tapering socket 90, formed in a socket member 92 which is movably mounted in the door 14. The socket member 92 is generally in the form of an elongated rod which is rotatable in the door and is also slidable downwardly in the door so that the door can readily be lifted free of the lower hinge pin 58. Due to the gradually tapering shape of the shank portion 88 and the socket 90, the shank portion 88 fits snugly in the socket 90 without any play th'erebetw'een.

7 Means are provided to insure that the socket member 92 will be held stationary by the upper hinge pin 56, while the door swings about the socket member. in this case, the lower end of the shank 72 is formed with a transversely extending downwardly opeuing slot 94 which is adapted to receive a pin 96 which extends diametrically across the lower portion of the socket 90. The pin 96 is received in a pair of opposite radial holes 98, formed in the socket member 92.

In the illustrated construction, the socket member 92 is movably received within a guide sleeve 100 which is mounted within the side member 20 of'the door 14. The outside of the sleeve 100 may be square in cross section so as to fit within the rectangular opening 40 in the side member 20. One or more screws 102 or other fasteners may be employed to retain the sleeve 100' in the upper end portion of the rectangular opening 40; A bore 104 extends longitudinally through the sleeve or block 100'.

Near its mid portion, the socket member 92 has an enlarged annular rib 106 which is slideably received with in the bore 104 in the sleeve 100. It will be seen that the rib 106 is generally semi-circular in cross section; This construction permits the socket member 92 to rock within the bore 104 when the socket member is pushed downwardly into the door, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, the door may be tilted or cooked to a sufficient extent to disengage the door from the lower hinge pin 58.

When the door is in its normal position, mounted within the door frame 16, the socket member 92 is prevented from rocking by means of upper and lower guide portions 108 and 110 which are formed on the socket member. It will be seen that the guide portions 108 and 110 are cylindrical and are adapted to be slidablyi'eceived'within reduced cylindricalbores 112 and 114 atthe upper and lower ends of the bore 104. In this case, the reduced guide bores 112 and 114 are formed in bushings or rings 116 and 118 which are inserted into the upper and lower ends of the sleeve 100. In the illustrated construction, enlarged counterbores 120 and 122 are formed above and below the main bore 104 to receive the bushings 116 and 118. The bushings 115 and 118 may be press fitted into or otherwise retained within the counterbores 120 and 122. As shown, the upper guide portion 108 is somewhat larger in diameter than the lower guide portion 110. The bores 112 and 114 are of corresponding size.

When the door 14 is lifted to remove the door, the upper guide portion 108 occupies a position below the reduced bore '112 in the bushing 116 so that the socket member 92 may rock within the bore 104. Similarly, the guide bushing 118 is raised clear of the lower guide portion 110. The socket member 92 is formed with a reduced portion 124 above the lower guide portion 1113. When the door 14 is raised, the lower bushing 118 is opposite the reduced portion 124, as shown in FIG. 4, so that the bushing 118 does not interfere with rocking movement of the socket member 92.

To provide for automatic closing of the door 14, a spring 126 is connected to the lower end of the socket member 92. The other end of the spring engages the door 14 so as to bias the door toward its closed position. As illustrated, the spring 126 is of the helically coiled torsion type. The upper end of the supr'ing 126 is formed into a straight finger 128 which extends through a diametrical hole 130 in the lower end of the socket member 92. Thus, the upper end of the spring 126 is kept from rotating relative to the socket member 92.. At its lower end, the illustrated spring I26 is formed with an arm or tail 132 which engages the inside of the rectangular opening 40 in the side member 21} of the door, as shown to advantage in FIG. 3'. In this way, the lower end of the spring 126 is constrained to rotate with the door. 7

As shown to advantage in FIG. 2', the lower end of the spring 126 may be supported on one of a series of filler blocks 134 which may be secured within the rec t'ang'ular channels 40 in the door members; The blocks 134 may be made of wood or the like so as to afford a high heat insulating value. Wood screws 135 may be employed to secure the blocks in the channels 48.

When the socket member 92 is in its free state, the spring 126 pushes the socket member upwardly to a position slightly higher than that shown in FIG. 2. in this condition, the spring 126 may be compressed slightly between the adjacent filler block 134 and the lower bushing 118. The finger 128 at the upper end of the spring 126 engages the lower side of the bushing 118 to prevent outward movement of the socket member 92 beyond this point. This initial condition exists when the door 14 is not yet mounted in the frame 16. V

When the door is to be mounted in the frame, the door is raised so that the upper hinge pin 56 will enter the door frame through an opening 136 in the upper door member 22. The hinge pin '56 then passes downwardly into the socket member 92, so that the tapered shank portion 88 will be seated in the tapered socket 90. The slot 94 on the shank 72 passes downwardly over the cross pin 96.

The upward movement of the door 14 causes the stationary hinge pin 56 to push the socket member 92 downwardly relative to the door, as shown in FIG. 4. The upper and lower cylindrical guide portions 108 and are then below the guide bushings 116 and 118, so that the socket member 92 may rock within the bore 104. The curved annular ridge 106 permits such rocking movement of the socket member-'92. Thus, the door may readily be tilted or cooked to a sulfic'ient' extent that the lower edge of the door will clear the lower hinge pin 58.

The downward movement of the socket member 92, relative totlie door 14, compresses tlfespring' 126. Thus,

the. spring tends to restore the socket member 92 to its original position. At the upper ends of the guide portions 108 and 110, the socket member 92 has rounded annular corners 138 and 139 to center the guide portions as they enter the bushings 116 and 118. Similarly, the bushings 116 and 118 have rounded or flared annular corners 141 and 144 at the lower ends of the bores 112 and 114.

The mounting of the door 14 is completed by centering the lower hinge bushing 68 over the lower hinge pin 58, and allowing the door to move downwardly, so that the bushing 68 will slip down around the hinge pin 58. The thrust washer 78 engages and supports the bushing 68.

In order that the spring 126 may exert a closing eflort on the door 14, the spring 126 is given an initial stress by rotating the upper hinge pin 56. This is done by loosening the lock nut 84, inserting a rod or other instrument into one of the holes 86 in the hinge pin 56, and rotating the hinge pin, using the rod as a lever. When the spring 126 has been stressed to the desired extent, the'nut 84 is tightened to secure the hinge pin 56 in place. The teeth 80 on the head 74 of the hinge pin 56 bite into the wall 49 of the door frame 16, so that the hinge pin will be held against rotation in a very secure manner. It will be understood that the tension or loading on the spring 126 may be released by loosening the nut 84 with a flat Wrench.

The door may be removed by lifting it to a sufficient extent to disengage the bushing 68 from the lower hinge pin 58. The door may then be tilted or cocked to a suflicient extent to move the lower portion of the door clear of the lower hinge pin 58. The ability of the socket member 92 to rock within the sleeve 109 makes this tilting or cocking movement of the door easy to accomplish, without any binding in the upper hinge pin arrangement. The door is then moved downwardly so as to disengage the socket member 92 from the upper hinge pin 56. The initial torsion in the spring 126 will be released when the pin 96 is withdrawn from the slot 94 in the hinge pin.

It will be apparent that the hinge construction of the present invention makes it very easy to remove and replace the door. This is a very advantageous feature, because it sometimes happens that the glass panel in the door is broken and needs to be replaced. The replacement of the glass panel is much easier to accomplish when the door is removed from the door frame. Moreover, a spare door may be mounted in the frame in place of the original door, while the glass panel is being replaced.

In addition, the present invention provides a very a vantageous arrangement whereby a concealed spring may be employed to shut the door automatically. This arrangement minimizes the amount of heat that gets into the refrigerated display cabinet when the door is opened by a customer. The hinge construction of the present invention is efiective and rugged, yet is easy to manufacture and reasonably low in cost.

An electrical heating cable 140 may be mounted within the frame of each door 14 to warm the frame of the door to a suflicient extent to prevent the condensation of moisture or the formation of frost on the door frame. As clearly shown in FIG. 3, each of the frame members 18-24 of the door may be formed with a channel or recess 142 to receive the heating cable 140. It will be seen that the recess 142 opens into the front portion of the main channel 40 in the door member. Thus, the recess 140 is immediately behind the front wall 38. The wood filler blocks 134 retain the heating cable 140 in the recess 142. Similar heating cables may be provided behind the front flanges 58 of the door mounting frame to prevent the condensation of moisture or formation of frost on these flanges.

As shown to advantage in FIG. 3, the open rear side of each of the door frame members 18-24 is covered by a gasket assembly 146, which includes a gasket 148 and a mounting strip 150. It will be seen that the gasket 148 is generally U-shaped and is wrapped part way around the mounting strip 150. Thus, the gasket 148 is formed with front and rear flanges 152 and 154. The front flange 152 is interposed between the mounting strip and the rear side of the door member 20, as shown in FIG. 3. The rear flange 154 covers a large portion of the rear side of the mounting strip 150. It will be seen that a hollow bead 156 is formed on the edge of the rear flange 154, to engage the rear flange 51 of the door mounting frame.

In this case, a gasket 158 is provided to cover the rear sides of the flanges 49, 50, and 51 of the doormounting frame, so as to facilitate the formation of a seal between the door mounting frame and the cabinet, while also providing heat insulation therebetween. Such insulation tends to prevent the condensation of moisture and formation of frost on the door-mounting frame. The gasket 158 has a flange 160 which covers most of the front side of the rear flange 51. The head 156 of the gasket 148 is adapted to form a seal with the front side of the gasket flange 160.

The mounting strip 150 may be screwed or otherwise secured to the wood filler blocks 134. It will be seen that the mounting strip 158 has a forwardly projecting flange 162 which holds the transparent panel 28 in the frame of the door 14.

FIGS. 7-10 illustrate a stop device 164 for limiting the swinging movement of each of the doors 14. The device 164 prevents the door from being swung outwardly more than about 90 degrees, so as to obviate any possible interference between adjacent doors. As shown, the stop device 164 comprises a rod or arm 166 which is pivotally mounted on a bracket 168 secured to the door 14. The rod 166 is slidable through a fixed bracket 170 on the door-mounting frame. A stop in the form of a nut 172 is mounted on the end of the rod 166 to limit the movement of the door.

As shown to advantage in FIG. 8, the bracket 168 is bolted or otherwise secured to the lower flange 36 of the upper door member 22. The bracket 168 has a downwardly olfset horizontal portion 174 which is formed with a hole 176. The rod 166 has an upwardly bent portion 178 which is pivotally recei ed in the hole 176. A nut 180 may be threaded onto the upper end of the pivot portion 178 to retain the pivot portion on the bracket 168.

As shown, the fixed bracket 170 is bolted or otherwise secured to the rear flange 51 of the upper door frame member 46. A keyhole-shaped opening 184 may be formed in the lower portion of the bracket 170. Thus, the opening 184 has a relatively small upper portion 186 and an enlarged lower portion 188. Normally, the rod 166 slides through the enlarged-lower portion 188 of the opening 184. The smaller upper portion 186 of the opening is too small to receive the full diameter of the rod 160. When the door 14 is opened to an angle of nearly 90 degrees, the nut 172 engages the bracket 178 so as to prevent further opening of the door.

It will be seen that the nut 172 is threaded part way onto a reduced end portion 190 which is formed on the rod 166. The formation of the reduced portion 190 provides an annular shoulder 192 on the rod 166. It will be seen that the nut 172 is spaced some distance to the rear of the shoulder 192.

The reduced end portion 190 is small enough to enter the reduced upper portion 186 of the opening 184. Normally, however, the weight of the rod 166 retains the rod in the enlarged lower portion 188 of the opening 184. It is sometimes desirable to hold the door 14 in its open position, so that the cabinet may be filled with merchandise or cleaned. On such occasions, the rod 166 may be pushed upwardly so that the reduced portion 190 will enter the smaller portion 186 of the opening 184. The door is then allowed to swing inwardly to a slight extent until the shoulder 192 engages the bracket 170. The friction between the shoulder 192 and the bracket 170 will then retain the reduced portion 190 in the 7 smaller upper portion 186 of the opening 184. Thus, the door will be held in its open position until the rod 15 is returned downwardl into the enlarged ponies 188 of the opening 184. This may be done by pulling the rod 166 downwardly, or by opening the door to aslight extent so that the rod will fall downwardly. It will be seen that a tapered reduced portion 196 is formed around the smaller upper portion 186 of the opening 184, to facilitate the entry and retention of the rod in the upper portion 186.

When the door 14 is removed from the cabinet, the stop device 164 may be disconnected by removing the nut 172 so that the rod 166 may be disengaged from the bracket 170. Alternatively, the nut 180 may be removed from the pivot portion 178 of the rod 166. Of course, it is also possible to remove the bracket 170 from the flange 51.

It will be apparent that the stop device 164 limits the outward swinging movement of the door so that there will be no interference between adjacent doors. In addition, the stop device 164 may be manipulated to hold the door in an open position so that it will be convenient to load the cabinet with merchandise.

Various modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as exemplified in the foregoing description and defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A door construction, comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, a lower hinge pin projecting upwardly fro-m said door frame, a member on the lower edge of said door and having an opening therein disengageably receiving said hinge pin, said door being movable upwardly to disengage said member from said lower hinge pin, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, said door frame having a wall with an opening therein receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper hinge pin having a shank with an enlarged head on its upper end, said head being engaged with the upper side of said wall and having downw'radly projecting locking teeth thereon for biting into said wall, said shank having an upper guide portion immediately below said head and extending through said opening in said wall, said shank having a screw threaded portion below said guide portion, a nut received on said screw threaded portion and engaging the lower side of said wall, said nut disengageably clamping said head against the upper side thereof, said shank having a downwardly tapering lower portion, a socket member slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket therein disengageably receiving said tapered lower portion of said upper hinge pin, said socket having a taper complementary to that of said tapered lower portion of said hinge pin, said upper hinge pin having a slot in its lower end, said socket member having a cross pin therein extending across said socket and disengageably received in said slot, said pin locking said socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation therebetween, said socket member having an upper generally cylindrical glide portion and a lower generally cylindrical guide portion, upper and lower guide members in said door and having openings therein slidably receiving said upper and lower generally cyclindn'cal guide portions of said socket member, said socket member having an enlarged annular rocker rib formed thereon between said upper and lower guide portions, said rib being genenerally arcuate in cross section, said door having a guide sleeve therein between said upper and lowerguide members and slidably receiving said rib, said socket member having a reduced portion above said lower guide portion and fitting loosely within said lower guide member when said socket member is pnshed'downwardly int said d or so that said socket membercan'rock in' said guide sleeve when said door is being removed and replaced in said frame, and a torsion coil spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member, said socket member having a hole extending diametrically through its lower end and receiving the upper end of said spring, and means on said door holding the lower end of said torsion coil spring against rotation, said spring being given an initial stress so as to bias said door to the closed position in said frame, said upper hinge pin having an opening in said shank below said nut for use in rotating said upper hinge pin to give said spring an initial stress.

2. A door construction, comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, a lower hinge pin projecting upwardly from said door frame, a member on the lower edge of said door and having an opening therein disengageably receiving said hinge pin, said door being movable upwardly to disengage said member from said lower hinge pin, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, a socket member slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket therein for receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper hinge pin and said socket member having interlocking elements disengageably locking said socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation therebetween, said socket member having a generally cylindrical guide portion, a guide member in said door and having an opening therein slidably receiving said generally cylindrical guide portion of said socket member, said socket member having an enlarged annular rocker rib formed thereon and spaced from said guide portion, said door having a guide sleeve therein slidably receiving said rib, said socket member being movable downwardly into said door and out of engagement with said guide member so that said socket member can rock in said sleeve when said door is being removed and replaced in said frame, and a torsion spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member, and means on said door holding the lower end of said torsion spring against rotation, said spring being given an initial stress so as to bias said door to its closed position in said frame.

3. In a door construction, the combination comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, a socket member slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket therein disengageably receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper hinge pin and said socket member having interlocking elements disengageably locking said socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation therebetween, said socket member having a generally cylindrical guide portion, a guide member in said door and having an opening therein slidably receiving said generally cylindrical guide portion of said socket member, said socket member having an enlarged annular rocker rib formed thereon and spaced from said guide portion, said door having a guide sleeve therein slidably receiving said rib, said socket member being mo'vable downwardly into said door and out of engagement with said guide member so that said socket member can rock in said sleeve when said door is beig removed and replaced in said frame, and a torsion spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member, and means on said door holding the lower end of said torsion spring against rotation, said spring being given an initial stress so as to bias said door to its closed position in said frame.

4. In a door construction, the combination comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, said door frame having a wall with an opening therein receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper hinge pin having a shank with an enlarged head on its upper end, said head being engaged with the'upper side of said wall and having downwardly projecting locking teeth thereon biting intosaid wall, said shank having a generally cylindrical portion immediately below said head and extending through said opening in said wall, said shank having a screw threaded portion below said cylindrical portion, a nut received on said screw threaded portion and movable into engagement with the lower side of said wall for clamping said head against the upper side thereof, said shank having a downwardly tapering lower portion, a socket member slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket therein disengageably receiving said tapered lower portion of said upper hinge pin, said socket having a taper complementary to that of said tapered lower portion of said hinge pin, said upper hinge pin having a slot in its lower end, said socket member having a cross pin therein extending across said socket and disengageably received in said slot for locking said socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation therebetween, said socket member having an upper generally cylindrical guide portion and a lower generally cylindrical guide portion, upper and lower guide members in said door and having openings therein slidably receiving said upper and lower generally cylindrical guide portions of said socket member, said socket member having an enlarged annular rocker rib formed thereon between said upper and lower guide portions, said rib being generally arcuate in cross section, said door having a guide sleeve therein between said upper and lower guide members and slidably receiving said rib, said socket member having a reduced portion above said lower guide portion to fit loosely within said lower guide member when said socket member is pushed downwardly into said door so that said socket member can rock in said guide sleeve, and a torsion coil spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member, said socket member having a hole extending diametrically through its lower end and receiving the upper end of said spring, and means on said door holding the lower end of said torsion coil spring against rotation, said spring being given an initial stress so as to bias said door to its closed position in said frame, said upper hinge pin having an opening in said shank below said nut for rotating said upper hinge pin to give said spring an initial stress.

5. In a door construction, the combination comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, said door frame having a wall with an opening therein receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper hinge pin having a shank with an enlarged head on its upper end, said head being engaged with the upper side of said wall, said shank having a screw threaded portion extending below said wall, a nut received on said screw threaded portion and movable into engagement with the lower side of said wall for clamping said head against the upper side thereof, said shank having a downwardly tapering lower portion, a socket member slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket therein disengageably receiving said tapered lower portion of said upper hinge pin, said socket having a taper complementary to that of said tapered lower portion of said hinge pin, said upper hinge pin and said socket member having interlocking elements disengageably locking said socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation therebetween, said socket member having an upper generally cylindrical guide portion and a lower generally cylindrical guide portion, upper and lower guide members in said door and having openings therein slidably receiving said upper and lower generally cylindrical guide portions of said socket member, said socket member having an enlarged annular rocker rib formed thereon between said upper and lower guide portions, said rib being generally arcuate in cross section, said door having a guide sleeve therein between said upper and lower guide members and slidably receiving said rib, said socket member having a reduced portion above said lower guide portion to fit loosely within said lower guide member when said socket member is pushed downwardly into said door so that said socket member can rock in said sleeve member when said dooris being removed and replaced in said frame, and a torsion spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member, and means on said door holding the lower end of said torsion spring against rotation, said upper hinge pin being rotated to give said spring an initial stress so as to bias said door to its closed position in said frame.

6. in a door construction, the combination comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, said door frame having a wall with an opening therein receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper hinge pin having a shank with an enlarged head on its upper end, said head being engaged with the upper side of said wall, said shank having a screw threaded portion extending below said wall, a nut received on said screw threaded portion and movable into engagement with the lower side of said wall for clamping said head against the upper side thereof, said shank having a downwardly tapering lower portion, a socket member slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket thereindisengageably receiving said tapered lower portion of said upper hinge pin, said socket having a taper complementary to that of said tapered lower portion of said hinge pin, said upper hinge pin and said socket member having interlocking elements disengageably locking said socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation therebetween, said socket member having a generally cylindrical guide portion, a guide member in said door and having an opening therein slidably receiving said guide portion of said socket member, said socket member hawng an enlarged annular rocker rib formed thereon and spaced from said guide portion, said door having a guide sleeve therein slidably receiving said rib, a torsion spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member, and means on said door holding the lower end of said torsion spring against rotation, said upper hinge pin being rotated to give said spring an initial stress so as to bias said door to its closed position in said frame.

7. A door construction, comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, a lower hinge pin projecting upwardly from said door frame, a member on the lower edge of said door and having an opening therein disengageably receiving said hinge pin, said door being movable upwardly to disengage said member from said lower hinge pin, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, said door frame having a wall with an opening therein receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper hinge pin having a shank with an enlarged head on its upper end, said head being engaged with the upper side of said wall, said shank having a screw threaded portion below said head, a nut received on said screw threaded portion and movable into engagement with the lower side of said wall for clamping said head against the upper side thereof, said shank having a downwardly tapering lower portion, a socket member slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket therein disengageably receiving said tapered lower portion of said upper hinge pin, said socket having a taper complementary to that of said tapered lower portion of said hinge pin, said upper hinge pin and said socket member having interlocking elements disengageably locking said socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation therebetween, said socket member having an upper generally cylindrical guide-portion and a lower generally cylindrical guide portion, pp r and lower guide members in said door and having openings therein slidably receiving said upper and lower genl1 orally cylindrical guide portions of said socket member, said socket member having an enlarged annular rocker rib formed thereon between said upper and lower guide portions, said door having a guide sleeve therein between said upper and lower guide members and slidably receiving said rib, said socket member having a reduced portion above said lower guide portion to fit loosely within said lower guide member when said socket member is pushed downwardly into said door so that said socket member can rock in said sleeve member when said door is being removed and replaced in said frame, a torsion spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member, and means on said door holding the lower end of said torsion spring against rotation, said upper hinge pin being turned to give an initial stress so as to bias said door to its closed position in said frame.

8. A door construction, comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, a lower hinge pin projecting upwardly from said door frame, a member on the lower edge of said door and having an opening therein disengageably receiving said hinge pin, said door being movable upwardly to disengage said member from said lower hinge pin, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, said door frame having a wall with an opening therein receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper hinge pin having a shank with an enlarged head on its upper end, said head being engageable with the upper side of said wall, said shank having a screw threaded portion below said head, a nut received on said screw threaded portion and movable into engagement with the lower side of said wall, said not disengageably clamping said head against the upper side thereof, said shank having a downwardly tapering lower portion, a socket member slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket therein disengageably receiving said tapered lower portion of said upper hinge pin, said socket having a taper complementary to that of said tapered lower portion of said hinge pin, said upper hinge pin and said socket member having interlocking elements disengageably locking said socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation therebetween, said socket member having a generally cylindrical guide portion, a guide member in said door and having an opening therein slidably receiving said generally cylindrical guide portion of said socket memher, said socket member having an enlarged annular rocker rib formed thereon and spaced from said guide portion, said door having a guide sleeve therein slidably receiving said rib, said socket member being movable downwardly into said door and out of engagement with said guide member so that said socket member can rock in said sleeve when said door is being removed and replaced in said frame, a torsion spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member, and means on said do'orholding the lower end of said torsion spring against rotation, said spring being given an initial'stress so as to bias said door to its closed posi- 'tion in said frame.

9. A door construction, comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, a lower hinge pin projecting upwardly from said door frame, a member on the lower edge of said door and having an opening therein disengageably receiving said hinge pin, said door bodily being movable upwardly to disengage said member from said lower hinge pin, said door thereupon being removable from said frame, said door frame being substantially higher than said door and providing space between said door and said frame to allow for such upward movement of said door, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, a socket memberslidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket therein disengageably receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper binge pin and'said socket member having interlocking elementsdisengageably locking said socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation there between, said socket member having an enlarged annular rocker 'n'b formed thereon, said door having a guide sleeve therein slidably receiving said rib, said socket member being retractable in said sleeve and being rockable about said rib when said door is raised to remove said door from said frame, a torsion spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member, and means on said door holding the lower end of said torsion spring against rotation, said spring being given an initial stress so as to bias said door to its closed position in said frame.

10. A door construction, comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, a lower hinge pin projecting upwardly from said door frame, a member on the lower edge of said door and having an opening therein for disengageably receiving said hinge pin, said door as a whole being movable upwardly to disengage said member from said lower hinge pin, said door thereupon being removable from said frame, said door frame being substantially higher than said door and providing space between said door and said frame to allow for such upward movement of said door, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, a socket member slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket therein disengageably receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper hinge pin and said socket member having interlocking elements disengageably locking said socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation therebetween, said socket member being retractable downwardly in said sleeve when said door is raised to remove said door from said frame, and a torsion spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member, and means on said door holding the lower end of said torsion spring against rotation, said spring being given an initial stress so as to bias said door to its closed position in said frame.

11. In a door construction, the combination comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, a socket member slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket therein disengageably receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper hinge pin and said socket member having interlocking elements disengageably locking said'socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation therebetween, said socket member having an enlarged annular rocker rib formed thereon, said door having a' guide sleeve therein slidably'receiving said rib, said socket member being retractable downwardly in said sleeve and being rockable about said rib therein, a torsion spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member, and means on said door holding the lower end of said torsion coil spring against rotation, said spring being given an initial stress so as to bias said door to its closed position in said frame.

'12. In a door construction, the combination comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame, an upper hinge pin projecting downwardly from the upper portion of said door frame, a socket member slidably and rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said door and having an upwardly opening socket therein disengageably receiving said upper hinge pin, said upper hinge pin and said socket member having interlocking elements disengageably locking said socket member to said upper hinge pin against relative rotation therebetween, said socket member being retractable downwardly into said door, a-coi1 spring having its upper end connected to the lower end of said socket member and biasing said socket member upwardly, and means on said door holding the lower end of said coil spring against rotation, said spring being given an initial l torsional stress so as to bias said door to its closed position in said frame.

13. In a door construction, the combination comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame between closed and open positions, said door bodily being vertically movable in said frame, said door frame being substantially higher than said door and providing space between said door and said frame to allow for such vertical movement of said door, hinge means supporting said door for swinging movement and vertical movement and including a pin member and a socket member pivotally supporting one end of the said door, one of said members being secured to said fi'ame while the other of said members is secured to said door, said pin member being received in said socket member for free rotation therein and for free axial sliding movement relative thereto, said pin and socket members thereby being disengageable from each other by vertical movement of said door, said hinge means including pivot means supporting the opposite end of said door, said pivot means comprising first and second telescopically engaged pivot elements, said first pivot element being mounted on said door while said second pivot element is mounted on said frame, means on said door rotatably supporting said first pivot element, a spring connected between said first pivot element and said door for closing said door, said first and second pivot elements having interfiting parts disengageably joining said elements against relative rotation to maintain said spring in a stressed condition, said inter-fitting parts being axially movable into disengaged relation by vertical movement of said door in one direction, said door thereby being readily removable from said frame, and a tool receiving formation on one of said pivot elements for use in preloading said spring.

14. In a door construction, the combination comprising a door frame, a door swingable in said frame between closed and open positions, said door bodily being vertically movable in said fiame, said door frame being substantial- I bers thereby being disengageable from each other by vertical movement of said door, said hinge means including pivot means supporting the opposite end of said door, said pivot means comprising first and second telescopically engaged pivot elements, said first pivot element being mounted on said door While said second p vot element is mounted on said frame, means on said door slidably and rotatably supporting said first pivot element, said first pivot element being movable downwardly into said door, said first and second pivot elements having inter-fitting parts disengageably joining said elements against relative rotation, said interfitting parts being axially movable into disengaged relation by downward vertical movement of said door, said door thereby being readily removable from said frame, and a spring connected between said first pivot element and said door and biasing said first pivot element upwardly while also biasing said first pivot element torsionally for closing said door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,019,527 Ellison Nov. 5, 1935 2,669,475 Kinker Feb. 16, 1954 2,820,659 Ring Jan. 21, 1958 2,878,531 Benham Mar. 24, 1959 2,908,050 Sullivan et a1 Oct. 13, 1959 2,934,784 Price et a1. May 3, 1960 

